Here it is – my first mock draft. A moment I will savor forever. Here’s how I am doing it: I will choose players based on my film study and my sense of team needs. I have no idea what different teams draft boards look like, nor will I try to speculate what a team might be thinking. The main objective of my mock is to further discuss the top players by putting them in a draft format. One other caveat: I am disregarding documented off-field problems, character issues, anything that is not a function of on-field play. I understand that teams significantly factor that into the equation, but I am solely basing my player evaluations on what’s on the tape. That’s what I do. I watch tape.

Originally Posted by scottyboy
my lord...I cannot imagine such a world where I can mention Raymell Rice's thighs around a girl and not be the only one sexually aroused

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But for everyone reading this in Buffalo and Cleveland and everywhere else, take solace in the following: As crazy as it sounds, you're lucky. Your Mount Everest experience is still ahead of you. It's waiting, and it's glorious.- Bill Simmons

I just don't see the point though; why do a mock if you aren't going to try to predict anything? Why not just make an overall ranking. I can just go down the list and match team to need to player myself.

The fun is trying to read the minds of geniuses, egomaniacs, and morons; and deciphering who falls into which of those categories...

His disclaimers might as well say "I am not going to even try to make this accurate, if you read this you are wasting your time." He should just publish a big board of his own and talk about his favorite prospects. Why bother looking at team needs if he's not going to factor in anything else that is clearly relevant? I don't even consider this a real mock draft.

Mocks like these are fun to read because they give you a highly respected analysts view on certain players. However I think it would be better served to put something like this out a few weeks ago or simply put out a big board.

Half the fun, IMO anyway, of doing mock drafts is trying to think what teams will do. A lot of effort is required looking at certain teams' draft history, physical requirements, needs, draft strategy etc. That as almost as important as the actual players you are placing with the teams.

As for the mock itself, I don't agree with the logic of letting Kalil fall. If he gets passed the Vikings the Bucs could take him, the Rams probably would take him, the Bills would definitely take him.

Kudos to Cosell for actually coming up with an interesting mock draft, one that actually lets you know what he thinks of the prospects.

He writes well, and his reasoning is sharp. That being said, I have a few major disagreements with him. I've been hearing the upside arguments for Gilmore since he was in high school, but I have yet to see him put it all together to become a really dominant player. Since he is lauded for intelligence, work ethic and character, I suspect he just may lack the natural instincts to put his tools to their most proper use.

I think Floyd is going to bust unless he switches to H-back and is in no way better than Blackmon. He had a power forward game in college and lacks the elite body control to continue that style of play in the NFL.

I know it has become fashionable to dump on Quinton Coples because of his lackluster effort last season, but leaving him out of the first round is just absurd to me. If you watch his junior tape, you can see why he was the top senior coming into the season. Even without playing his hardest last season, he still garnered 7.5 sack and 11 tfls. Just imagine what he could do with a little motivation.

Kalil and Reiff are also criminally low in my opinion, but I respect him for being honest about his opinions.

That being said, I love the lack of Stephen Hill, and this is probably the one mock that has Brockers going exactly where he should.

This is an absolutely horrendous mock. The write ups are good, but the picks are terrible. Griffin over Luck is just stupid. Janoris Jenkins in the top-five is moronic. He calls Kalil the best left tackle in the draft and then has him falling to 13? Only four times in the last 25 years has an offensive tackle not been taken top-ten, the last time being 7 years ago. Kalil is not lasting until 13.

But the worst part of this entire mock was this little gem.

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I believe LT J’Marcus Webb has the physical skill set to play the position and showed improvement as the season progressed

I don't know, maybe he was watching a different J'Marcus Webb than the entire Chicago Bears fan base.

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Originally Posted by SolidGold

Bortlezzzzzzz

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Originally Posted by Monomach

Brilliant letting one of Scott Pioli's henchmen have his own team to ruin. One of the premier GM jobs in the NFL and it gets handed to a stupid **** who makes three facepalm moves for every good one. Awesome. Just like handing a new Mercedes to a 16 year old girl who's already been in three wrecks.

I just don't see the point though; why do a mock if you aren't going to try to predict anything? Why not just make an overall ranking. I can just go down the list and match team to need to player myself.

The fun is trying to read the minds of geniuses, egomaniacs, and morons; and deciphering who falls into which of those categories...

I agree, it's like when the morons re-do drafts. Like last years, on NFL.com they had the titans taking Demarco Murray first round in the re-do. Seriously?

I like Cosell's take on stuff, but why release a mock draft just to show off player evals/ranks? I know you're old as mummified ****, Greggers, but have you never heard of a big board or positional board?

The purpose of a mock draft isn't to show where you have guys ranked. Its to show where guys could be selected. Jenkins at 5 is just stupid. No NFL team is going to do that. I'm fine if you decide to be different but at least make it some what realistic.

How is the best LT in the draft going 13?
How is maybe the dumbest guy in the draft going 5?
How are 2 corners going BEFORE Claiborne?

If the Vikings for some reason took Gilmore I would just turn off the TV. If you want Gilmore at 3 you more down. No question. Even if you only get a little in return.

I don't understand everyone calling this terrible and worthless. He was very forward leading up to it that it's not a prediction tool, but just a different way of thinking through the evaluation process. Every team's draft board is going to look very different, and it's not absurd for his to look very different than the media consensus.

Another highly respected analyst who loves Barron...I can't wait until September and we see how "average" he is. Really hope this one is a Jet, despite no visit.

I was going to ask this same question in the Cowboys draft thread but maybe it'll generate some better responses here. Wasn't he just a solid 2nd round guy a few months ago? What happened in that time that has made him a top 15 pick and as Cosell states a top 5-7 player? Maybe I'm missing something here.

I was way higher on Louis Delmas coming out and had he gone to a bigger school he was a 1st rounder so maybe the Bama thing plays a part, but I don't see it. If he's like some think I want him, we haven't had a difference maker at safety in forever, but that's too high for mediocrity.

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Originally Posted by Scott Wright

I guarantee that if someone picks Cam Newton in the Top 5 they will regret it.

I don't understand everyone calling this terrible and worthless. He was very forward leading up to it that it's not a prediction tool, but just a different way of thinking through the evaluation process. Every team's draft board is going to look very different, and it's not absurd for his to look very different than the media consensus.

That's true. I really liked the Panthers pick of Floyd and his explanation, he's got a point. Everyone points to defense but they could get another elite play-maker on offense, have a seamless transition to Stevie Smith declining, and if you can outscore the team your in a good position.

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Originally Posted by Scott Wright

I guarantee that if someone picks Cam Newton in the Top 5 they will regret it.

I was going to ask this same question in the Cowboys draft thread but maybe it'll generate some better responses here. Wasn't he just a solid 2nd round guy a few months ago? What happened in that time that has made him a top 15 pick and as Cosell states a top 5-7 player? Maybe I'm missing something here.

Always a first...confirmed it with the 4.57 and solid vertical a few weeks removed from surgery.

Cosell mentioned that he hates mocks but he would do one in a very different style than the typical mock. He did exactly what he said he would do and people are whining because he didn't do something else.